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In chapters four and five of the book of Ezekiel, Yahweh gave the Israelites, who were living in Jerusalem and Judah, an overview of the judgment they were going to experience. First, Yahweh said He was going to use the Babylonian army to destroy them. Second, the city would be surrounded and besieged for 430 days, or one year and two months. Third, food and water would be cut off. Famine would occur and they would eat each other in order to survive. Fathers would eat their sons. Even compassionate mothers were going to boil and eat their children, and children would eat their parents. The message is Yahweh’s judgment was going to be terrible because of their sin and idolatry. At the end of chapter 5, Yahweh confirmed that this would happen when He said three times,

I, the Lord, have spoken. Ezekiel 5:17 (NASB)

Then beginning in Ezekiel 6, Yahweh gave the Israelites a new prophecy. It gave more details about the Babylonian army invasion. The prophecy describes the appalling behavior of the Israelites that caused the devastating judgment they would experience. This study is about chapter six.

But before we start digging to discover the meaning of chapter six, I want to provide some background information about the Canaanite religion. The Canaanites worshiped numerous gods and goddesses. The chief god was Baal, and the supreme goddess was Ashtoreth or Asherah. The meaning of the word Baal was “lord.” He was worshiped as lord. The worship of both of these demonic deities occurred throughout the land of Palestine, Egypt, and beyond. The first time Baal is mentioned in Scripture is in Numbers 22:41 when Balaam cursed the Israelites as they entered Palestine. Here is Numbers 22:41-23:2.

Then it came about in the morning that Balak took Balaam and brought him up to the high places of Baal, and he saw from there a portion of the people. Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars for me here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me here.” Balak did just as Balaam had spoken, and Balak and Balaam offered up a bull and a ram on each altar. Numbers 22:41-23:2 (NASB)

The ”high places” of Baal refers to a place of worship on a mountain. Typically, the high places were located in lush groves of trees. An altar was erected using stone or clay bricks upon which sacrifices would be offered. A stone pole was located nearby that represented the male deity Baal. There was also a wood pole that represented the goddess Asherah. That was the name the Philistines gave her (1 Samuel 31:10). The Phoenicians named her Astarte. The Assyrians named her Ishtar. There was also a tent for eating sacrifices and for practicing prostitution.

Judges 2:10-13 reveals that sometime after Israel was in Palestine, they began to serve Baal. Verse 12 states that Israel abandoned Yahweh. Verse 13 refers to both Baal and Ashtaroth. 1 Kings 16:32 reveals that after King Solomon died, the Israelites built temples to Baal. 2 Kings 11:18 reveals the Baal temple had altars and images of Baal. The religion had over 450 priests at the time of Elijah (1 Kings 18:22).

In Deuteronomy 23:17-18 God warned the Israelites to not allow their daughters or sons to be temple prostitutes, nor to be a prostitute in the Lord’s house. Yahweh’s warning implies males and females were encouraged to engage in sexual activity as part of the Baal religion. Yet, 1 Kings 14:24 and Hosea 4:14 reveal Israel did allow their sons and daughter to be temple prostitutes. Genesis 38:22 may indicate that Judah engaged in Baal worship. 1 Kings 11:5 reveals that King Solomon engaged in the worship of Asherah. Isaiah 57:3–10 reveals the Israelites engaged in many sex orgies. The Asherah was the goddess of love and war. 2 Kings 23:7 reveals women were fully engaged in the religion. They weaved hangings for Asherah.

Baal worship also included the sacrifice of their sons and daughters to Baal or Moloch in fire (Deuteronomy 12:31; 2 Kings 17:16-17; Jeremiah 19:5). Molech was the Baal of child sacrifice. Baal worship also included the practice of the occult and involved the worship of many other gods and goddesses. Supposedly, there were benefits for abandoning Yahweh and devoting oneself to the many gods and goddesses of Baal.

Destruction of the Idolatrous and Idols

With that background, we begin our study in Ezekiel 6:1-14. Verses 1-2 reveal that Yahweh gave the prophet Ezekiel another prophecy.

And the word of the LORD came to me saying, 2 “Son of man, set your face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them . . .” Ezekiel 6:1-2 (NASB)

This prophecy is the second one that is included in the vision that started in Ezekiel 1:1. Once again Yahweh calls Ezekiel human and tells him to prophesy against the mountains of Israel. The worship of Baal and other false gods and goddesses was occurring in other places around the world, but Yahweh is focused on His chosen people (Deuteronomy 7:6; 14:2). Now we know why Ezekiel was going to prophesy against these mountains.

Verses 3-4 indicate the prophet was to actually speak against the mountains, hills, ravines, and valleys.

“ . . . and say, ‘Mountains of Israel, listen to the word of the Lord GOD! Thus says the Lord GOD to the mountains, the hills, the ravines and the valleys: “Behold, I Myself am going to bring a sword on you, and I will destroy your high places. So your altars will become desolate and your incense altars will be smashed . . .”’” Ezekiel 6:3-4a (NASB)

The background study helps us understand why the prophet was commanded to speak to the mountains, hills, ravines, and valleys and announce that Yahweh was going to destroy the high places and altars. The high places were where the worship of the Baals and Asherah occurred. The high places were known for luxuriant trees, flowers, and cooler weather. That reveals those who engaged in the worship of Baal and the Asherah liked beauty. but Yahweh was going to destroy these places, make them desolate, and smash them.

Verses 4-5 reveals that Yahweh would also kill the people for engaging in false worship. Here is the last part of verse 4 and all of verse 5.

. . . and I will make your slain fall in front of your idols. I will also lay the dead bodies of the sons of Israel in front of their idols; and I will scatter your bones around your altars. Ezekiel 6:4b-5 (NASB)

Yahweh also prophesied that He would cause the dead to fall in front of their idols and scatter their bones around the altars. Normally, the bones of the animals offered to Baal were left around the altar. So, Yahweh said, “I will leave your bones in front of your idols and around your altars.” Dead human bodies caused people to be unclean (Numbers 19:11). The message was that Baal and the Asherah were going to be made unclean.

We have learned that in the high places the idols of Baal and Asherah were poles. Also, we have learned that these Jewish adults sacrificed their children. So, this is a very graphic prophecy. They would die just as they caused their children to die. But notice that Yahweh does not claim that He will leave their bodies before the idols and altars. Yahweh is not engaging in false worship.

Yahweh had already warned them that He would destroy their high places and incense altars and kill them, if they engaged in false worship. He gave them this warning in the wilderness before they entered Palestine. He said,

I then will destroy your high places, and cut down your incense altars, and heap your remains on the remains of your idols, for My soul shall abhor you. I will lay waste your cities as well and will make your sanctuaries desolate, and I will not smell your soothing aromas. I will make the land desolate so that your enemies who settle in it will be appalled over it. You, however, I will scatter among the nations and will draw out a sword after you, as your land becomes desolate and your cities become waste. Leviticus 26:30-33 (NASB)

In verses 6-7, the prophet was told to prophesy against their dwellings and cities.

In all your dwellings, cities will become waste and the high places will be desolate, that your altars may become waste and desolate, your idols may be broken and brought to an end, your incense altars may be cut down, and your works may be blotted out. The slain will fall among you, and you will know that I am the LORD. Ezekiel 6:6-7 (NASB)

The dwellings would have included homes, stores, and any other place a person could live. So, Yahweh promised that their homes, buildings, and cities would become waste, and once again the high places and idols would become desolate. Their idols would be broken. The Hebrew word for “idols” is gillulim. It has the meaning of “detestable things,” or “contestable.” They were ugly things. Yahweh promised their altars would be cut down or broken in pieces. Their works would be blotted out. All of their labor and effort to build these idols and altars would be destroyed. All of the sacrifices of their children were of no benefit.

Notice that the prophecy has moved from the mountains to their buildings and cities, and finally to the people themselves. The message is everything is polluted. Their false worship was on the hills and was evident in their homes, the roofs of their homes, their buildings, and in their cities. Their evil, idolatrous hearts had affected everything. So everything, including them, would be destroyed. As we have already learned in the background study, the Canaanite religion had spread throughout the land of Israel. It was everywhere. Jeremiah 11:13 says that Baal temples were everywhere. Jeremiah 32:29 indicates they existed even on the roofs of homes. The land was polluted with false worship.

Ezekiel was to then tell the people, “The slain will fall among you, and you will know that I am the LORD.” Baal was not the Lord. Yahweh was the Lord. After the prophecy was fulfilled, they would finally understand that Yahweh had spoken. He had spoken in Leviticus 26:30-33 and He had spoken through Ezekiel as well as Jeremiah. The same is true for people today. Unbelievers will die like the rich man in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. They will go to hell, and then realize that God has spoken. But then it will be too late. Some will be alive when the great tribulation starts. Then they will know that Yahweh has spoken. Unbelievers will someday believe in God when it is too late. What He prophesies will come true.

Today, our nation is polluted with the “idol of me.” It is evident in our politics. Our leaders have abandoned God. They do what is right in their own eyes. Judges 21:25 tells us that was Israel’s problem. It says,

Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Judges 21:25 (NASB)

When leaders abandon God, they operate without wisdom, justice, integrity, righteousness, knowledge, every good deed, and discretion. That is the message of Proverbs 2:1-11. So, we are seeing a gross lack of wisdom, rapid increase of corruption in high levels, stupid decisions in so many areas, and blatant injustice. We are also seeing sexual perversion on the increase in every area of life among our politicians, Hollywood elites, news media, public schools and educators, advertisements, stores, and it is increasing daily. It is increasingly rare to even find sexual purity among young people who call themselves Christians. Increasingly, we are acting like those who worshiped Baal and the Asherah. The altars and idols that we worship are called “me.” “Me” is more important than our children. God is warning us! He is saying that someday, “You will know that I am the LORD.”

A Remnant Will Be Saved

Even though Yahweh said He would destroy them and everything they owned, He always keeps a remnant. That is God’s message starting in verse 8. In that verse, He promised He would leave a remnant. Here are verses 8-10.

However, I will leave a remnant, for you will have those who escaped the sword among the nations when you are scattered among the countries. Then those of you who escape will remember Me among the nations to which they will be carried captive, how I have been hurt by their adulterous hearts which turned away from Me, and by their eyes which played the harlot after their idols; and they will loathe themselves in their own sight for the evils which they have committed, for all their abominations. Then they will know that I am the LORD; I have not said in vain that I would inflict this disaster on them. Ezekiel 6:8-10 (NASB)

The first thing we should notice in verses 1-7, is that God revealed the plan He would execute against every rebellious person who refused to submit to Him. Those who continued in false religion revealed they have completely rejected God. Those who have ultimately rejected God are those whom God will eventually destroy in the fires of hell. We discovered in the last two studies, that God is slow to punish us for sin. That reveals His love. Yet, God’s holiness and justice also demand that He must punish eventually the belligerent who refuse to submit to Him. Now in verses 8-10, another characteristic of God is visible. He is also merciful. He preserves a remnant. This gives us an important truth about the message of chapter 6. God justly punishes belligerent sinners, and shows mercy to the repentant.

Verse 9 is very important for us. It helps us understand the characteristics of a repentant person. We are given three important characteristics about the remnant. First, Yahweh always has a remnant who will remember Him. They may drift away from Yahweh briefly, but eventually they will return. This is a biblical principle. 1 John 2:19 is an important verse to remember,

They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us. 1 John 2:19 (NASB)

In Philippians 1:6 the apostle said,

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6 (NASB)

What God starts, He will finish. When He saves someone, they never completely abandon Him. So, the first characteristic of the remnant, or of a true believer, is that they never completely abandon God.

The second characteristic of the remnant is that they will remember how they have hurt God by pursuing pleasure in something else. Notice what Yahweh said in the middle of the verse. He said they will remember,

. . . how I have been hurt by their adulterous hearts which turned away from Me, and by their eyes which played the harlot after their idols . . . Ezekiel 6:9b (NASB)

The Hebrew word for hurt can be translated as “to crush, to smash, to shatter,” and brokenhearted. Yahweh is describing the reaction of a wounded husband or wife to an adulterous spouse. He feels hurt when we turn away from Him and pursue our own pleasures and desires. If we have another idol in our life, we have played the harlot. Colossians 3:5 describes some idols we should think about,

Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. Colossians 3:5 (NASB)

If any of these keep you away from God, then they are idols. We need to ask if any of these emotions or feelings are connected with something in our lives. Are we doing something to satisfy these emotions? It is feelings like these that cause us to abandon God for something else.
The third characteristic of the remnant is that they,

. . . loathe themselves in their own sight for the evils which they have committed, for all their abominations . . . Ezekiel 6:9c (NASB)

The Hebrew word for “loathe,” qut, refers “to grieving, to disgust, to abhor, or to detest.” It is a feeling that leads one to beg God to forgive. In Job 10:1, Job said,

I loathe my own life. Job 10:1 (NASB)

In Psalm 139:21, David said,

Do I not hate those who hate You, O LORD?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?
Psalm 139:21 (NASB)

So, a true believer loathes or hates their sin. That describes the apostle Paul’s feelings about his own sin. He wrote that he did not like what he was doing. He was struggling to be obedient. Then he wrote this,

Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Romans 7:24 (NASB)

He displayed the heart of a believer. True believers loathe their sins. That leads them to confess their sins. 1 John 1:9 tells us to confess our sins and He promises to forgive them.

So, the first characteristic of the remnant, is that a true believer never completely abandons God. The second characteristic of the remnant is that a true believer remembers how they have hurt God by finding satisfaction in something else. They remember their sins. The third characteristic of the remnant is that a true believer loathes their sin, which leads them to confess their sins.

Verse 10 describes the response of a forgiven believer.

Then they will know that I am the LORD . . . Ezekiel 6:10a (NASB)

The last part of verse 10 should remind us of Hebrews 12:4-11 which tells us that God uses discipline to motivate us to stop sinning, and bring us back to Him.

Then You Will Know I Am The Lord

The next two verses express a sense of satisfaction for Yahweh because He has finally punished the rebellious who will never repent.

“Thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Clap your hand, stamp your foot and say, “Alas, because of all the evil abominations of the house of Israel, which will fall by sword, famine and plague! He who is far off will die by the plague, and he who is near will fall by the sword, and he who remains and is besieged will die by the famine. Thus will I spend My wrath on them.”’” Ezekiel 6:11-12 (NASB)

There is confusion about the meaning of “Clap your hand, stamp your foot.” Some think it refers to joy, sorrow, derision, and many other ideas. Ezekiel 33:11 tells us that Yahweh does not take pleasure in the death of anyone. So it is difficult to know how to understand the meaning of the statement. But in Revelation 6:9-10, the tribulation saints ask God, “How long will you refrain from judging and avenging our blood . . .?” So, it seems that it is okay to rejoice that Yahweh repays the belligerently rebellious for their sins. When Yahweh sends His wrath on them, it is because of the choices they made. Yahweh warned them!

Verses 13-14 close the chapter.

“’”Then you will know that I am the LORD, when their slain are among their idols around their altars, on every high hill, on all the tops of the mountains, under every green tree and under every leafy oak — the places where they offered soothing aroma to all their idols. So throughout all their habitations I will stretch out My hand against them and make the land more desolate and waste than the wilderness toward Diblah; thus they will know that I am the LORD.”’” Ezekiel 6:13-14 (NASB)

Here Yahweh said that after He poured out His wrath; then everyone would know I am the Lord. The unbelievers had believed that Baal was their Lord. The meaning of the word “Baal” is “Lord.” Four times in Ezekiel 6, Yahweh said, “I am the LORD.” That is, the Israelites forgot who was the Lord. They had rejected Him, and refused to listen to His prophets. So the Lord said that after He poured out His wrath, then you would know who is the real Lord. When all of their idols, the worship centers, and a massive number of people were destroyed, then they would know that He is the Lord. So, Yahweh made the land of Palestine desolate. Then they knew that Yahweh was the Lord. “I am the LORD.”

Conclusion

The primary message of this chapter is, “Then you will know that I am the LORD.” That simple statement revealed the Israelites in Judah and Jerusalem had rejected Yahweh as the only God. They trusted Baal but not Yahweh. They looked to their idols, altars, and temple, and to those false gods and goddesses. They failed to realize that Yahweh justly punishes belligerent sinners, and shows mercy to the repentant.
Do you have idols in your life that captures and holds your attention, time, and passions? They pull you away from God and result in wasted time and effort. Every idol is an illusion. There is only one God who satisfies. He is Yahweh. When He speaks, His prophecies come true. There is only one God. There is only Yahweh!

Divine Punishment Follows Unrepentant Sin

In 2020, Dane Ortlund wrote a book titled “Gentle and Lowly.” WORLD magazine labeled it the “Accessible Theology” book of the year. The Gospel Coalition called it the “Popular Theology” book of the year. It was also listed as the ACBC Biblical Counseling book of the year. It was very popular among Christians for over one year. It is still listed as a bestseller. Some churches used the book in Bible studies and sold them. But it was not theologically accurate. Grace To You and others issued scathing reviews of the poor theology.

The controversy was the theme of the book taken from Matthew 11:29.

For I am gentle and lowly in heart. Matthew 11:29 (ESV)

The author, Dane Ortlund, claimed that this verse helps us understand the deepest part of Jesus’ heart. He wrote the verse,

“. . . pulls back the veil and lets us peer way down into the core of who he is.”[1]

But the author missed the fact that all of Scripture reveals Jesus’ heart. We are not to be limited to one verse. We see deeply into God’s character from Genesis to Revelation. Dane Ortlund over-emphasized the love of Christ and minimized God’s hatred for sin. He minimized God’s judgment of sin. Dane Ortlund made many assumptions that cannot be supported in Scripture. He encouraged believers to feel loved and accepted by Christ in spite of their sin. While it is true that God loves both sinners and believers, it is not true that sinning believers can assume they will escape His discipline.

His book is only one example of a very popular preaching style. No matter what the Scripture says, some pastors and teachers work to make their messages positive, encouraging and loving. Why do they do that? One well-known author said the people in the congregation do not want to feel poorly or bad about themselves. A pastor’s positive message helps them to feel better about themselves.

People love to hear positive messages. Isaiah 30:10 reveals that this has always been true of us. It states that the people in the northern kingdom of Israel, before they were defeated by the Assyrian army, begged for pleasant words to be spoken. They wanted to hear positive messages. Jeremiah 26:7-11 tells us the priest and the prophets of the kingdom of Judah wanted to kill the prophet Jeremiah because they did not like his negative message. Jeremiah was prophesying that the Babylonian army was going to defeat Jerusalem and make it desolate. They did not like his negative message. Later in Jeremiah 28, the false prophet, Hananiah, was giving the people encouraging news. He prophesied that Jerusalem would not be destroyed. That was encouraging to the people, but it was contrary to Jeremiah’s prophecy. It was a false prophecy. Then in Jeremiah 32:1-5, we are told King Zedekiah imprisoned Jeremiah because he had given another negative prophecy that Jerusalem would be conquered. The point is the people wanted to hear pleasant messages just like people today. We would rather not hear that we are sinners, that God is angry with our sin, and we are going to be punished. Since Jeremiah and Ezekiel were contemporaries, this helps us understand that Ezekiel is speaking to the same people. They wanted to hear positive messages, just as people do today.

The bad news is that the book “Gentle and Lowly” and other positive only messages desensitize unbelievers and believers to their sin. If we read the writings of the apostles, we discover that many of their writings were negative. They were constantly warning or rebuking believers about sin. This fact alone reveals that the message of Scripture must not be sugar-coated. It is clear from the writings of Jeremiah that the positive messages of false prophets resulted in the people not repenting of their sins. Because they never repented, Judah was invaded and Jerusalem was destroyed.

That is the background to our study. In our last two studies in chapters 2 and 3 of the book of Ezekiel, we learned that Yahweh had called a man named Ezekiel to serve Him. He became a prophet. He was told to preach to the rebellious people of Judah and Jerusalem. They would attack him with words. Their words were illustrated as being like thistles, thorns, and like sitting on a scorpion (Ezekiel 2:6). He was told to speak only the words that Yahweh gave. Yet, the people would not listen and their behavior did not change (Ezekiel 3:4-7). Ezekiel was warned to not change what Yahweh said. He was to warn the wicked and those whose outward behavior only was righteous.

Sign of the Clay Brick

Our study is the first part of a two-part study which begins in Ezekiel 4:1 and continues through Ezekiel 5:17. In these two chapters, we will learn about four signs and their interpretations. The signs are all about the destruction of Jerusalem and the suffering the people of Judah experienced. The description is difficult to read and accept. But we will learn and be reminded of some important truths.

The first sign is given in Ezekiel 4:1-3. It is the sign of the clay brick. Here is verse 1.

Now you son of man, get yourself a brick, place it before you and inscribe a city on it, Jerusalem. Ezekiel 4:1 (NASB)

Once again Ezekiel is called “the son of man,” which means “human.” So, Yahweh said, “Human, get yourself a brick.” The Hebrew word for “brick” refers to a clay tile. That makes sense since Ezekiel was told to inscribe a layout of the city of Jerusalem on it. That would require a large soft clay tile. He would have scratched an outline of the city onto the brick. It would have been a large Babylonian, sun-baked, clay brick. He most likely would have inscribed an outline of the major features of the city.

Verse 2 continues recording Yahweh’s command. He said,

Then lay siege against it, build a siege wall, raise up a ramp, pitch camps and place battering rams against it all around. Ezekiel 4:2 (NASB)

Now Ezekiel was to do four things. He was to lay siege against the city. That required a siege wall, a ramp, pitch camps, and battering rams placed around the city. Charles E. Dyer in his commentary on Ezekiel explains these individual parts. He wrote this helpful description,

God then told Ezekiel to lay siege to the brick. Because Jerusalem was a well-fortified city, it would take Babylon months to capture it. The purpose of a siege was to starve out the enemies and wear them down by halting their flow of food, supplies, and weapons.

In depicting the attack on Jerusalem, Ezekiel may have used small wooden models or clods of dirt to represent the army of Babylon circling the city and laying siege to it. He first erected siege works (dayeq) against his “city.” These were earthen towers or walls of dirt erected all around Jerusalem (cf. 2 Kings 25:1; Jer. 52:4). They protected the offensive army from arrows fired from the wall and gave the attackers additional height from which to shoot arrows over the city wall.

Ezekiel was also to build a ramp up to the brick city. The ramp provided a relatively smooth incline up which siege towers and battering rams could be pushed. Also the ramp allowed the attackers to get above the bedrock and large foundation stones of the city so the smaller and more vulnerable upper stones could be reached by the battering rams.

To prevent reinforcements and supplies from coming in and to keep survivors from slipping out, an attacking army would set up camps around the besieged city. Ezekiel did the same on his small scale model. Later Nebuchadnezzar’s army surrounded Jerusalem during the siege and allowed the city no means of relief or escape. Once everything was positioned the battering rams were brought forward to begin their assault. Their constant hammering gradually weakened the city’s walls.[2]

Once the walls collapsed, the massive Babylonian army could have rushed the city and slaughtered the people. We learn more about this in our next study.

In verse 3,

Then get yourself an iron plate and set it up as an iron wall between you and the city, and set your face toward it so that it is under siege, and besiege it. This is a sign to the house of Israel. Ezekiel 4:3 (NASB)

The iron plate, mahabat barzel, was a kitchen utensil. It was an iron griddle that was used for roasting, frying, and baking flat breads over an open fire. So, Yahweh commanded Ezekiel to take this kitchen utensil and place it between himself and Jerusalem. Then Ezekiel was told to besiege the iron wall. That is, Yahweh was not passive during the Babylonian siege against Jerusalem. He was the active force behind the siege against Jerusalem. When Ezekiel set his face against this iron wall, it was a sign to the house of Israel that Yahweh was besieging the city. He was the active force behind the Babylonian army’s destruction of the city and the horrors that occurred to the people.

Yahweh was not going to rescue His beloved city, Jerusalem. Nor would He respond to the prayers for deliverance from the people inside. Judgment was unavoidable and He was using King Nebuchadnezzar, His servant, to punish the house of Judah and the city of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 25:8-12). Yahweh was besieging Jerusalem! The message of the first sign is that Yahweh, Himself, will punish unrepentant sin.

Sign of the Prophet’s Position

The second sign was the prophet’s position. In verses 4-8, Ezekiel was told to lie down on his left side and then on his right side. Both actions had symbolic meaning. Verses 4-5 describes Ezekiel’s first action.

As for you, lie down on your left side and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel on it; you shall bear their iniquity for the number of days that you lie on it. For I have assigned you a number of days corresponding to the years of their iniquity, three hundred and ninety days; thus you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. Ezekiel 4:4-5 (NASB)

When he lay on his left side for a number of days, that symbolized the length of time the house of Israel would suffer because of their unrepentant sins. The number of days Ezekiel was to lie on his left side was 390 days. Since directions were typically calculated by facing east, this means that his left side would be facing north to the house of Israel. That is, the kingdom of Israel would be under siege for 390 days.

Then verses 6-7 state that Ezekiel was to lie on his right side.

When you have completed these, you shall lie down a second time, but on your right side and bear the iniquity of the house of Judah; I have assigned it to you for forty days, a day for each year. Then you shall set your face toward the siege of Jerusalem with your arm bared and prophesy against it. Ezekiel 4:6 (NASB)

When he had lain on his right side for 40 days, it would symbolize the length of time the house of Judah would be under siege because of their unrepentant sin.

Both verses 5 and 6 say that each day symbolized a year of rebellion. Remember in Ezekiel 2:3-5 Yahweh described them as rebellious. That is a reminder that our sins are like rebellion to our God. So the prophet lay on his left side for 390 days and on his right side for 40 days. Verse 9 seems to suggest that these days are overlapping.

The meaning of the 390 days and 40 days is not clear. Every commentator agrees that no one can dogmatically claim where the 390 days and 40 days starts. None of the dates usually suggested works out correctly. But it is clear from Ezekiel 23:11 that Judah was not less guilty than the northern kingdom. In that passage, God said that the southern kingdom was more corrupt.

Verse 8 concludes this sign. It says,

Now behold, I will put ropes on you so that you cannot turn from one side to the other until you have completed the days of your siege. Ezekiel 4:8 (NASB)

The binding of the prophet reveals that the siege would not end until the defeat was successful. It would not end until Jerusalem was destroyed. God’s plan would not and could not be frustrated (Isaiah 14:27). It will become clear in the next sign that Ezekiel did not lie on his side all these days because he had to prepare his meals.

Sign of the Polluted Bread

The third sign is given in verses 9-17. It is the sign of the polluted bread. Verses 9-11 state,

But as for you, take wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet and spelt, put them in one vessel and make them into bread for yourself; you shall eat it according to the number of the days that you lie on your side, three hundred and ninety days. Your food which you eat shall be twenty shekels a day by weight; you shall eat it from time to time. The water you drink shall be the sixth part of a hin by measure; you shall drink it from time to time. Ezekiel 4:9-11 (NASB)

Here Yahweh told the prophet what he would eat and drink for the 390 days. He was to make bread of various grains. The various grains may represent unholiness since Leviticus 19:19 and Deuteronomy 22:9 prohibited planting different grains together, but we cannot be positive. What is clear is that the twenty shekels was slightly more than 9 ounces of bread. The sixth of a hin of water is about a quart. So, Ezekiel was to eat and drink that each of the 390 days. It was a starvation diet. This also reveals that he would not be lying on his side all day, every day. He would also have to buy the grain, and make his bread.

Then Yahweh told him how he was to bake the bread. Verses 12-15 describe their discussion.

“You shall eat it as a barley cake, having baked it in their sight over human dung.” Then the LORD said, “Thus will the sons of Israel eat their bread unclean among the nations where I will banish them.” But I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I have never been defiled; for from my youth until now I have never eaten what died of itself or was torn by beasts, nor has any unclean meat ever entered my mouth.” Then He said to me, “See, I will give you cow’s dung in place of human dung over which you will prepare your bread.” Ezekiel 4:12-15 (NASB)

Yahweh told Ezekiel to bake the bread over human dung. Normally, the bread was baked on a metal pan over hot stones (1 Kings 19:6). But Yahweh commanded him to not use stones but human dung. It is important to note that Deuteronomy 23:12-14 commanded the Israelites to deposit their excrement outside the camp when they were walking through the wilderness. They were to then cover their excrement. So, to bake their bread over human dung would cause defilement. Consequently, Ezekiel protested. He did not want to be defiled. Then Yahweh allowed him to use cow dung.

What was the meaning of this sign? Verses 16-17 tell us,

Moreover, He said to me, “Son of man, behold, I am going to break the staff of bread in Jerusalem, and they will eat bread by weight and with anxiety, and drink water by measure and in horror, because bread and water will be scarce; and they will be appalled with one another and waste away in their iniquity. Ezekiel 4:16-17 (NASB)

The sign meant that Yahweh caused a famine during the siege on Jerusalem. In our next study we will discover why Yahweh said they will eat in horror. “They will be appalled with one another and waste away in their iniquity.”

Conclusion

That is the first three of the four signs Yahweh gave to Ezekiel. So, what principles can we learn from these signs?

Principle#1 — God, Himself, Disciples Us For Unrepentant Sin

The sign of the clay brick gives us the principle that God, Himself, disciplines us because of unrepentant sin. When God commanded Ezekiel to use the iron plate as an iron wall and besiege it, it revealed that God was the hidden force helping the Babylonian army defeat Jerusalem. This gives us the principle that God, Himself, will cause us to be disciplined when we sin against Him. Hebrews 12:4-9 states,

You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,
“MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF
THE LORD,
NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM;
FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES,
AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.”
It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? Hebrews 12:4-9 (NASB)

That is, if we do not stop committing a certain sin, God the Father will eventually discipline us to motivate us to stop sinning. He does this for those who are His children. So, if you are repeatedly committing some sin and are not disciplined for it, then you may not be a believer.

Principle #2 — God Is Slow To Punish Sin

The second sign of the prophet’s position gives us the principle that Yahweh is slow to punish sin. In the second sign, Yahweh said that the house of Israel had been sinning for 390 days and the house of Judah for 40 days. That is, Yahweh was very patient. That is part of the fruit of the Spirit. Romans 2:4-6 summarizes this truth. It says,

Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? Romans 2:4 (NASB)

The books of 1 and 2 Kings and 1 and 2 Chronicles reveal that none of the kings of the northern kingdom were good. Only three kings of the southern kingdom were good. Yahweh kept sending prophets to warn the kings and the people to repent. We can be glad that God is not eager and fast to punish for our every sin. He is slow.

Principle #3 — Unrepentant Sin Stores Up Punishment

Another principle that we learn from the second sign is that when we are unrepentant, we store up wrath for ourselves. Romans 2:5-6 states,

But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS. Romans 2:5-6 (NASB)

This helps us understand why the punishment upon the houses of Israel and Judah was terrible. God does the same to us.

Principle #4 — God Reveals His Holiness When He Punishes Sin

A fourth principle that we can learn from these three signs is that Yahweh is holy when He responds in anger and punishes people who continue in habitual sins. God proves Himself holy in how He responds to sin. He proves Himself holy when He finally punishes people for their sin. Amen.

References:

1. Dane Ortland. Gentle and Lowly. Crossway =. 2020., p. 18.
2. Charles Dyer. Ezekiel. The Bible Knowledge Commentary. ChariotVictor Publishing. 1985. pp. 1234-1235.

Priority of Ministry For God’s Servant

Our study is from Ezekiel 2:8-3:27. I want to quickly review chapters one and two of the book of Ezekiel in order to provide the background for our study. In chapter one, we were told the priest Ezekiel was given a vision of the glory of God. In the vision, the prophet saw a dark cloud with a center that glowed like hot metal, four cherubim, four wheels and something like a throne on top of the cloud shrouded in light, appearing as a rainbow. The vision of God was spectacular and awesome. Ezekiel fell down with his face to the ground, and then Yahweh spoke. What an introduction! Ezekiel saw the glory of God in all its magnificence.

Then in chapter two, verse 1, Yahweh called Ezekiel, “Human.” God did not call him by his name. God just addressed him as “human.” The vision and the name, human, were designed to display God’s glory and to humble Ezekiel to prepare him so that he could be used of God. In verse 2, God empowered him with the Holy Spirit. Then in verses 3-5, Yahweh told him that he was to go and speak to the sons of Israel. The spiritual condition of these people was terrible. God said they were rebellious, hard-faced, and hard-hearted. Ezekiel was warned they would attack him with their words, but he was not to be discouraged. Rather, he was to boldly speak God’s words realizing “they are rebellious.” Imagine having to speak to people who will not listen to you and do not like what you say. That was the call of God for Ezekiel. What a call! Most of us have illusions of honor, joy, and great spiritual encouragement when we minister for the Lord. But that was not the ministry that God gave to Ezekiel. His call was one that most of us would not want. He would preach and the people might listen, but they will reject his message.

Performing Ministry

Our study continues God’s call of Ezekiel. We are going to discover the pattern of ministry that God wanted him to follow. This pattern of ministry should be an example for us today. The study begins in chapter two, verse 8 and continues to the end of chapter three. There are two sections to our study and four principles. The first section is Ezekiel 2:8-3:15. In this section God told Ezekiel how to perform ministry. We are going to learn three principles in this section.

Eagerly Listen and Obey God

The first principle in this section is found in Ezekiel 2:8-3:3. In verse 8a God is speaking. He says,

Now you, son of man, listen to what I am speaking to you; do not be rebellious like that rebellious house. Ezekiel 2:8a (NASB)

The first thing Yahweh did was to give a summary of how Ezekiel was to perform his ministry. First, Yahweh commanded Ezekiel to listen. Frankly, that is a very common problem in the church. There are believers who do not open their Bible when the Bible is taught, and they do not listen. Recently, I was thrilled when a pastor told the congregation to open their Bibles and read along with him. Believers need to check if the teacher is accurately interpreting the Bible. I take notes when I listen to someone teach. It helps me to learn. But other people appear to be listening, but some are just daydreaming about something else. They are not carefully listening. They miss important details of what God has said. So, God tells Ezekiel, “Listen to what I am speaking to you.”

The second thing that Yahweh commanded Ezekiel was to not be like the people to whom he was being sent. We must not miss Yahweh’s message. Yahweh knows that we are so easily influenced by others in the community and in the church. Every church has a culture. In some churches, everyone comes dressed like they are going to the beach or to a picnic. In other churches, the men are wearing a nice shirt, perhaps a tie, and women are wearing dresses. New attenders may then change how they dress for services so that they are like everyone else in the church. Every church has a culture and people want to be accepted. The same is true about church attendance and the other ministries in the church. If the Sunday School classes or Bible studies are not well attended, then visitors notice that and many will not attend. If the leaders are late to arrive, the people will follow their example.

The leadership sets an example, and the people follow. It is very sad when the pastor is afraid to be different than the people. His fear of the people affects his own conduct and every area of his ministry. Also, the man of God must not allow people to affect what he teaches about the Word of God. The apostle Paul wrote believers in Thessalonica that he strove to please God—not the people. He followed the same principle that God gave to Ezekiel. He wrote this in 1 Thessalonians 2:4.

But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts. 1 Thessalonians 2:4 (NASB)

In some churches the congregation should focus on following Christ and not their leaders if the leaders are not behaving like Christ or are teaching error. So, the first principle of Yahweh’s servant is that he or she must listen and obey. Yahweh’s servant must be a godly man or woman! That is also true of elders and deacons in a church. Otherwise, God will find someone else to do the ministry. That happened to Moses, and God then chose Joshua.

Study Until the Word of God Is Sweet

The second principle for performing ministry is given in Ezekiel 2:8b-3:3. Verses 8a-10 tell us that God commanded Ezekiel to,

Open your mouth and eat what I am giving you. Then I looked, and behold, a hand was extended to me; and lo, a scroll was in it. When He spread it out before me, it was written on the front and back, and written on it were lamentations, mourning and woe. Ezekiel 2:8b-10 (NASB)

Yahweh commanded, “Open your mouth and eat.” We are not told whose hand was extended out. But it will soon be clear that it was Yahweh’s hand. We are also told that Yahweh wanted Ezekiel to eat the scroll. The scroll symbolizes the Word of God. The scroll was written on the front and back. This is significant because most ancient scrolls were written on only one side. Most likely we are expected to understand that Yahweh had much to say.

We are told that Yahweh’s message was full of lamentations, mourning, and woe. That is a good description of chapters 4-32. Lamentations were typically a funeral song sung to a Hebrew poem. The Hebrew word for mourning or wailing refers to emotional words spoken by family members or others at a funeral. “Woe” would refer to wailing or an expression of great distress. So, Ezekiel was to eat the Word of God.

In Ezekiel 3:1-3 the command to eat the scroll is repeated and says that after he eats it, then he is to speak to the house of Israel.

Then He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.” So I opened my mouth, and He fed me this scroll. He said to me, “Son of man, feed your stomach and fill your body with this scroll which I am giving you.” Then I ate it, and it was sweet as honey in my mouth. Ezekiel 3:1-3 (NASB)

We should notice that in Ezekiel 2:8-3:2 Yahweh told Ezekiel four times to eat the scroll. Then after he ate it, he was to go and speak. This gives us a second principle that before a servant of God speaks for God, whether sharing the gospel or sharing the Word of God, he must first study it until he is filled to overflowing with the Word of God. Colossians 3:16 communicates the same idea,

Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:16 (NASB)

Every believer is commanded to let the word of Christ richly dwell within. This has the idea of the Word of God living inside. Here in Ezekiel, Yahweh said “fill your body.” Ezekiel was to be absorbed in the study of the word of God, and it would become sweet. This means that our goal for Bible study cannot be to teach it, preach it, or share it. Our goal must be to understand what God wrote and to be absorbed with it until it becomes like honey. Psalm 19:10 says that the law of the Lord is sweeter than honey. King David said in Psalm 119:103,

How sweet are Your words to my taste! Psalm 119:103 (NASB)

King David loved to read Yahweh’s words. The words of God were sweet.

I believe some Christians have missed the meaning of the phrase “the Word of God.” That phrase is not the title of a book. It is not some nice reference to the Bible. It is not something that we buy at a store. It is none of those things. The Word of God refers to words that Yahweh wrote. That is why we call the Bible the Word of God. When we read the Bible, it is like reading a letter or an email that our God in heaven wrote. Now I suspect that when someone you love sends an email to you, you are eager to read it. The Bible is the Word of God. It is like one long email. But His words are more important than any email. He wrote 66 books full of them. All of His “emails” have been put into the book that we call the Bible.

Some Christians are not very eager to read the Bible because they are not eager to learn what Yahweh wrote to them. Sadly, some believers find His Words boring and uninteresting due to their own sin. For other believers, that occurs because their knowledge of the Bible is limited. They miss the joy because they have not read all of the email. They skip from paragraph to paragraph. But notice that God took the entire scroll and put it into Ezekiel’s mouth. Yahweh did not tear off pieces and feed Ezekiel one piece at a time!

After Ezekiel ate the scroll, he was ready to go and speak. Now we have the second important principle in our study. Yahweh’s servants must be absorbed with the Word of God until it is as sweet as honey. Only then are they are ready for ministry! The Lord’s servants are to study the Word until it sets their hearts on fire! Then they are ready to serve the Lord.

Then Faithfully Speak His Word

The third principle regarding how to do ministry is found in verses 4-11. Here are verses 4-7.

Then He said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them. For you are not being sent to a people of unintelligible speech or difficult language, but to the house of Israel, nor to many peoples of unintelligible speech or difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. But I have sent you to them who should listen to you; yet the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, since they are not willing to listen to Me. Surely the whole house of Israel is stubborn and obstinate. Ezekiel 3:4-7 (NASB)

Yahweh told His servant to “go and speak My words.” I just love that statement—My words. He did not say preach a sermon you created or launch into some unrelated topic. Yahweh said that they will understand you, they will understand your language, but they are going to ignore your words. They will ignore you because they are stubborn and obstinate. The Hebrew for both words is better translated as “strong-forehead” and “stiff-heart.” That is, their hearts are insensitive to the Word of God. We must not miss the message. These people heard the Word of God, but they just ignored the sermon or the teaching – just as people today ignore the gospel.

Some people do not listen because they are not believers. There are unbelievers in the church who think they are going to heaven. They are tares. Many are morally good people. For some people, Christianity is part of their culture. Mom, dad, and people in their community claim to be Christians. They enjoy being in church, the music, and the social connections, but they are not true believers and are not going to heaven.

The house of Israel was not stupid. They heard Ezekiel, but they ignored him. They rejected his message because they rejected Yahweh. This has always been true, and continues to be true today!
Then Yahweh told Ezekiel . . .

“Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces and your forehead as hard as their foreheads. Like emery harder than flint I have made your forehead. Do not be afraid of them or be dismayed before them, though they are a rebellious house.” Moreover, He said to me, “Son of man, take into your heart all My words which I will speak to you and listen closely. Go to the exiles, to the sons of your people, and speak to them and tell them, whether they listen or not, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’” Ezekiel 3:8-11 (NASB)

Yahweh kept reminding the prophet that the people are rebellious. His ministry was going to be discouraging, and so the Lord will help him to not be discouraged. This is an important reminder for everyone who serves the Lord. The ministry can be very discouraging. Yahweh will help us to not be overwhelmed with discouragement. Yahweh told him to speak My Words whether they listen or not. This gives us our third principle. The servant of God must faithfully and accurately speak the Word of the Lord. He must not fail to do so.

But before we leave verse 10, notice that Yahweh once again repeated the second principle. He says, “Son of man, take into your heart all My words which I will speak to you and listen closely.” The Lord is pounding the point. His true servant will study the Word of God until he takes it all into his heart. He receives it and applies it to his heart. I believe that Yahweh is referring to an emotional response after His servant intellectually understands the message. This occurs only when the servant of the Lord has a sensitive heart.

Time of Rest

Verses 12-15 is a transition section.

Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard a great rumbling sound behind me, “Blessed be the glory of the LORD in His place.” And I heard the sound of the wings of the living beings touching one another and the sound of the wheels beside them, even a great rumbling sound. So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away; and I went embittered in the rage of my spirit, and the hand of the LORD was strong on me. Then I came to the exiles who lived beside the river Chebar at Tel-abib, and I sat there seven days where they were living, causing consternation among them. Ezekiel 3:12-15 (NASB)

We are told Ezekiel was lifted up by the Spirit. This refers to another vision. We are told that he heard a great rumbling sound behind him which said, “Blessed be the glory of the LORD in His place.” He heard the wings of the four living beings, and the sound of the wheels from the first vision. Then the vision ends. We do not know the purpose of this short vision. Maybe the announcement of the glory of the Lord was a reminder of the high calling that Ezekiel had just experienced.

In the last part of verse 14, we are told he was embittered in his spirit. But we are not told why he felt his way. Maybe he was upset at the difficulty of ministry. Who would want to speak for the Creator and be ignored? Who would want to hear God’s evaluation of the spiritual condition of one’s own people?

Then he arrived in the city of Tel-abib which was beside the river Chebar. The location of the city is unknown. We only know that is was somewhere along the Chebar River. The exiles from Judah were located there. Ezekiel sat there for seven days. It was a custom for people to take seven days to sorrow and recover from great emotional pain. That is what Ezekiel did. As he sat there, the people could not understand why.

Priority In Ministry

Then in verses 16-27, Yahweh gave Ezekiel the motivation for ministry. This is the second section. It is the priority for everyone who serves the Lord. Ezekiel wrote,

At the end of seven days the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman to the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me.” Ezekiel 3:16-17 (NASB)

Ezekiel said Yahweh had made him a watchman. He was to speak to the house of Israel. Many people are thrilled with the concept of a watchman. The watchman referred to here had the responsibility to warn the city if he saw danger coming. 2 Samuel 18:24y-27 and 2 Kings 9:17-20 are some good examples of watchmen. They might stand in a tower and watch for criminals or enemies and alert the city of danger. If the watchman failed to alert the people of the danger, he was executed. This helps us understand that Ezekiel was to warn Israel of spiritual danger. Today, pastors and teachers are watchmen too! They are to warn the people of the dangers of hell, sin, false teachers and false doctrine.

But notice Yahweh’s exact wording of Ezekiel’s responsibility. Whenever Yahweh spoke, Ezekiel was to repeat what He heard. That is still the responsibility of every servant of God. Today, we have all of the Word of God. We are not looking for prophets and apostles to write more Scripture. Today, when we read the Bible, we are hearing the Word of God in our mind. So, when we hear Yahweh speak in the pages of Scripture, we are to repeat what He said. Good evangelists do that. A good pastor does that. Every believer must not twist it, spin it, decorate it, or add spice to it. Our goal must always be to accurately say what Yahweh says.

Next, Ezekiel was told,

“When I say to the wicked, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to warn the wicked from his wicked way that he may live, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. Yet if you have warned the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered yourself.” Ezekiel 3:18-19 (NASB)

As a watchman, Ezekiel’s responsibility was to warn the wicked if Yahweh warned the wicked. Failure to echo Yahweh’s warning would result in him being held personally responsible for the spiritual lives of the people.

Then in verses 20-21, Ezekiel was told that he is to do the same for those who were righteous. The term, righteous, refers to external behavior. It does not mean they are necessarily believers. But they looked good on the outside. Here are the two verses,

“Again, when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I place an obstacle before him, he will die; since you have not warned him, he shall die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. However, if you have warned the righteous man that the righteous should not sin and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; and you have delivered yourself.” Ezekiel 3:20-21 (NASB)

Once again, Ezekiel was told that he had the responsibility to repeat what Yahweh said. If Yahweh warned the righteous, then Ezekiel must warn the righteous! Ezekiel would be responsible for the spiritual condition of those to whom he was to speak! We are not told what would happen to Ezekiel. Who would want to displease the Lord by refusing to serve Him? Who would want to displease Yahweh by not repeating His words? It is dangerous to displease Yahweh.

Verses 22-27 is the conclusion of Ezekiel’s commissioning as a prophet.

The hand of the LORD was on me there, and He said to me, “Get up, go out to the plain, and there I will speak to you.” So I got up and went out to the plain; and behold, the glory of the LORD was standing there, like the glory which I saw by the river Chebar, and I fell on my face. The Spirit then entered me and made me stand on my feet, and He spoke with me and said to me, “Go, shut yourself up in your house. As for you, son of man, they will put ropes on you and bind you with them so that you cannot go out among them. Moreover, I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you will be mute and cannot be a man who rebukes them, for they are a rebellious house. But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you will say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’ He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house.” Ezekiel 3:22-27 (NASB)

Once again, Ezekiel had another vision of the glory of the Lord. After seeing the glory of the Lord, Ezekiel must have been overwhelmed with his responsibility to Yahweh. Yes, he was chosen, but he was told to speak the words of the Lord. Once again the Holy Spirit entered the prophet. This is another reminder the Holy Spirit did not permanently indwell the saints before Pentecost.

Then Ezekiel was commanded to lock himself in his house. His ministry was to occur in his home. He was not a street evangelist, a missionary like Jonah, a forerunner like John the Baptist, or an apostle like Paul. It may surprise us that Ezekiel ministered from his house. There are several reasons to believe this. First, verse 24 says Ezekiel was told to lock himself in his house. In verses 25-26 Yahweh said he would not be able to move or speak. As a result, he could not rebuke the people. Now notice verse 27. Yahweh said the only time Ezekiel would be able to speak would be when Yahweh opened his mouth. When that occurred, he was to say to them, “Thus says the Lord GOD.”

This gives us our fourth and last principle. The motivation for ministry is to give glory to the Lord, by speaking the word of the Lord every time He gives us the opportunity. We have learned that Yahweh wants servants who listen and obey, who love the Word of God, who faithfully and accurately explain what Yahweh said. When the servant of God is given the opportunity to do this, he is to say, “Thus says the Lord GOD.” The servant’s words and opinions are not important. This brings us to the only priority of ministry for God’s servant. Give Yahweh glory by plagiarizing His sermons!

The Glory of the Lord

The book of Ezekiel is one of the major prophets in the Old Testament. When I say major prophets, that does not mean the book of Ezekiel is more important than the ones written by the other prophets. The word “major” just refers to the fact that it is longer than some books written by other prophets. The word “minor” just means the books called the minor prophets were shorter. Ezekiel has forty-eight chapters.

The author of the book was the prophet Ezekiel. J. Vernon McGee has said,

Ezekiel is the prophet of the [Holy] Spirit, as Isaiah is the prophet of the Son, and Jeremiah is the prophet of the Father.[1]

The book of Ezekiel is very unusual. The Spirit is mentioned twenty-two times in the book. The word visions is mentioned twenty-one times. The word parables occurs three times. Signs are mentioned nine times. Multiple times we are told that the “hand of the Lord” was on the prophet and the Spirit had lifted him up. The glory of the Lord is mentioned ten times. It is the theme of the book. Symbolism occurs throughout the book, just as it does in Isaiah and Jeremiah.

Charles Feinberg, one of our nation’s leading Bible scholars, now with the Lord, wrote this about the book,

From the first to the last chapter of Ezekiel one supreme thought runs throughout, that of the sovereignty and glory of the Lord God. He is sovereign in Israel and in the affairs of the nations of the world, though the loud and boisterous claims of men seem to have drowned out this truth. In His sovereign will, God has purposed that we should glorify Him in life and witness to the ends of the earth. Was there ever an hour more weighed with terror and yet more opportunity than is ours? Hours of opportunity do not tarry for the convenience of man. What we do must be done quickly.

Ezekiel can be outlined in a number of ways. These various outlines help us start to understand the book. The first way we could outline the book is by its six prophetic sections. The first prophecy is about the glory of God or the introduction. The next four prophetic sections are about Israel’s destruction. The fifth one is about Judah’s enemies. The last prophetic section is about the millennial kingdom. We could also outline it by three visions and the phrase “word of the Lord.” That phrase occurs fifty-five times in chapters 12 through 32. It occurs almost four times in each chapter. We could outline it in three sections: before, during, and after the siege on Jerusalem in 586 B.C. Finally, we could also outline the book by a series of judgments on Israel, judgments on its enemies, and the restoration of Israel. That is the most meaningful outline, and the one we will use.

The book also has some very special features. We see angels, wheels, and God in chapters one, eight, and ten. The Messiah is mentioned in chapter 17. The fall of Satan is recorded in chapter 28. In chapter 36 we will read about the promise of the new covenant, of a new heart, and the gift of an indwelling Holy Spirit. The valley of dry bones occurs in chapter 37. The battle of Gog and Magog is described in chapters 38-39. From chapters 40-48, the future millennial kingdom with the temple, sacrifices, feasts, and the glory of God is described. We will read about false prophets and rebellious, religious people. Along the way there are very powerful applications for us and our culture. We will discover why God punished Israel. We will discover if the presence of righteous people changes how God responds to a rebellious people. The book is going to be a challenge to all of us.

Introduction to Ezekiel

Who wrote this book? First, the book of Ezekiel has two authors. The first and most important author is the Holy Spirit. The second author was Ezekiel. He wrote his book about 590 – 570 B.C. The first verse tells us at what age he began to write it. Ezekiel 1:1 says,

Now it came about in the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was by the river Chebar among the exiles, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. Ezekiel 1:1 (NASB)

The “thirtieth year” refers to his age. He wrote the book when he was thirty years, four months, and five days of age. He was living by the river Chebar or Kabar in the ancient Babylonian empire. Today, the Arabic name for the river is called Shatt en-Nil. Its location was identified on two clay tablets that were unearthed at Nippur. It was called the Great Canal.[3] It was located near the city of Babylon. Ezekiel 3:15 says this was the place where the exiles from Judah were located. Psalm 137:1-4 records a sorrowful psalm of the exiles who lived on this canal. It says,

By the rivers of Babylon,
There we sat down and wept,
When we remembered Zion.
Upon the willows in the midst of it
We hung our harps.
For there our captors demanded of us songs,
And our tormentors mirth, saying,
“Sing us one of the songs of Zion.”
How can we sing the LORD’S song
In a foreign land?
Psalm 137:1-4 (NASB)

Ezekiel lived with the Jewish exiles from Judah on the Great Canal of Chebar. At the same time, Daniel was the prime minister under King Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel is mentioned three times in this book. Noah and Job are each mentioned once. Even though Daniel and Ezekiel lived within about 60 miles (96.6km) of one another, we do not know if they ever spoke with each other. Ezekiel and Daniel were almost the same age. Jeremiah the prophet was about twenty years older and was considered the sage prophet. There is an important lesson here for us. Daniel was in the king’s palace and Ezekiel was with the exiles. Yet, they were both prophets of God. Both men were used of God. From the world’s perspective, Ezekiel did not accomplish much because the people did not respond to his messages and change. But both men were equally outstanding prophets of God. We should never look down upon a man because his ministry is not in the palace. What matters is does he faithfully speak for God.

Verses 2-3 also give us the date of the first vision that was given to Ezekiel.

(On the fifth of the month in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s exile, the word of the LORD came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and there the hand of the LORD came upon him.) Ezekiel 1:2-3 (NASB)

The date is the fifth day of the fifth month of the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s exile. In our calendar that corresponds to 593 B.C. Jehoiachin was king of Judah in Jerusalem. He became king at 18 years of age. He reigned three months before King Nebuchadnezzar deported him to Babylon. You can read about this event in 2 Kings 24:6-14. Ezekiel had been taken captive at the same time. That occurred in 597 B.C. It is now five years later, when this young man received a series of visions from God.

The first vision or prophecy was given in the year 593 B.C. and the last prophecy was given in 571 B.C. That means Ezekiel was a prophet for about twenty-one or twenty-two years.

We are also told that Ezekiel was a priest. So, at this point he was both a priest and a prophet. However, he never served as priest since he did not live in Jerusalem. We are told that his father was Buzi, but Scripture does not give us any more information about his father. We are also told that Ezekiel had a wife in Ezekiel 24:15-18. In that passage, we are told God took the life of his wife. She died during his ministry as a sign to the people. We will learn more about that later. Ezekiel had a very difficult ministry. The people did not like him, and we will see that in the study. Ezekiel 2:6-7 tells us that God told him,

And you, son of man, neither fear them nor fear their words, though thistles and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions; neither fear their words nor be dismayed at their presence, for they are a rebellious house. But you shall speak My words to them whether they listen or not, for they are rebellious. Ezekiel 2:6-7 (NASB)

So, we will be studying an amazing series of prophecies. Even though I say that, the most important reason to study the book is that God wrote it for us. As believers we should long to know everything God wrote. The writings of God are more important than anything else we can read, because they contain all that He wants us to know. So, would you like to see what God wrote?

Storm Cloud From The North

The first vision or prophecy in the book of Ezekiel begins in verse 4 and continues through chapter three. But our study today is Ezekiel 1:4-28. The passage has four sections. The first section is about a cloud (v. 4). The second section is about four living beings (v. 5-14). The third section is about some wheels and a chariot (v. 15-25). The fourth section is about God Himself (v. 26-28). Let us look at the first section about a storm cloud from the north. Verse four says,

As I looked, behold, a storm wind was coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing forth continually and a bright light around it, and in its midst something like glowing metal in the midst of the fire. Ezekiel 1:4 (NASB)

In the vision, Ezekiel saw a storm cloud coming down from the north. Most visions in Scripture cannot be understood literally. They are symbolic. So, we should understand this symbolically, including the storm cloud. We will discover later in verses 26-28 that God is in this storm cloud. This helps us understand that this is not a real storm cloud. It symbolizes the approaching presence of God. Verses 26-28 help us understand that God is coming from the north.

Isaiah 14:13 records Satan as saying that heaven is located in the north. It says,

“But you said in your heart,
‘I will ascend to heaven;
I will raise my throne above the stars of God,
And I will sit on the mount of assembly
In the recesses of the north.’”
Isaiah 14:13 (NASB)

Since the verse refers to the throne above the stars and then adds the recesses of the north, it implies that the north was equated with the presence of God above the stars. But the north also had another meaning. It was the location of Babylon, the capital of the invading Babylonian army. The first twenty-four chapters of Ezekiel are warnings about the next and most devastating invasion of 586 B.C. The storm cloud clearly symbolizes God coming from heaven. But it may also symbolize God bringing the Babylonian army from the north down to Judah in judgment for another invasion in 586 B.C.

The Hebrew words refer to a bright light surrounding the cloud. The statement in the “midst something like glowing metal in the midst of the fire” is the mystery of the cloud. The Hebrew indicates the glowing metal is a brilliant metallic substance that is a mixture of silver and gold. But what is it? We will soon discover. Next, the cloud, wind, and fire also refer to a purifying, refining, judgment. They are symbolic of God’s glory and holiness. This is a picture of coming trouble against a rebellious people.

The Four Living Beings

Verses 5-14 introduce us to the next section. This section is about four living beings. Verse 5 says that within the storm cloud there were things that looked like four living beings. They seemed to look something like a human.

Within it there were figures resembling four living beings. And this was their appearance: they had human form. Ezekiel 1:5 (NASB)

Verse 6 says they had four faces and four wings. So obviously, they were not human.

Each of them had four faces and four wings. Ezekiel 1:6 (NASB)

Verses 7-8 say they had legs and hands. Their legs were like the feet of calves, except they were gleaming. Their hands were like those of humans. Verses 9, 11, and 23 reveal that two of their wings were spread upwards and touched one another. The other two wings covered their bodies.

Verse 10 describes their four faces. It says,

As for the form of their faces, each had the face of a man; all four had the face of a lion on the right and the face of a bull on the left, and all four had the face of an eagle. Ezekiel 1:10 (NASB)

Apparently, the face that was facing Ezekiel was like that of a man. The face on the right was like that of a lion. The one on the left was like a bull or ox. The face on the back side was like that of an eagle. We will see these same living beings later in Ezekiel 10. There we will be told these living beings are cherubim. These same angels are described in Revelation 4:5-11. They stand before God in His presence.

Charles Dyer in his commentary on Ezekiel said he believes the face of a man was chosen because he represents the crowning glory of God’s creative work. The lion was selected because it is the king of the beasts. The ox is the strongest of the domesticated animals, and the eagle is the lord of the birds.[4] These are all guesses. We do not know the mind of God, but they are interesting suggestions.

Verse 12 describes their movement. Most importantly, we are told the Holy Spirit is controlling these cherubim. The angels could move in any direction without turning. Verse 13 states there was something like hot coals, and bright flickers of lightening flashing from the fire. Verse 14 adds that the living beings could move like a lightening bolt. The idea is that the cherubim could instantly move in any direction they desired without having to turn. Their movement reflects the majesty and wonder of God.

The Wheels

Verses 15-25 is the next section. It is about four wheels.

Now as I looked at the living beings, behold, there was one wheel on the earth beside the living beings, for each of the four of them. The appearance of the wheels and their workmanship was like sparkling beryl, and all four of them had the same form, their appearance and workmanship being as if one wheel were within another. Ezekiel 1:15-16 (NASB)

We are told there was one wheel with each cherub. The wheel was down close to the earth. The wheels were sparkling like beryl. Beryl was a jewel with a gold or green appearance. So, the wheels were sparkling like jewels. The Hebrew suggests that the two wheels were perpendicular to each other so that they could roll in any direction.

Verse 17 says they moved just like the cherubim. Verse 18 says the rims of the wheels were full of eyes. That seems to be symbolic of the fact that God is omniscient. They may symbolize that God sees everything that happens upon the earth. Verses 19-21 tell us that when the Holy Spirit moved in any direction, the cherubim and the wheels moved immediately and together.
Verses 22-23 says that above the cherubim and the wheels was some type of expanse.

Now over the heads of the living beings there was something like an expanse, like the awesome gleam of crystal, spread out over their heads. Under the expanse their wings were stretched out straight, one toward the other; each one also had two wings covering its body on the one side and on the other. Ezekiel 1:22-23 (NASB)

The expanse was like a platform with an awesome appearance of gleaming crystal. At this point you may wonder what is being described. The reaction of the cherubim gives us an important clue. We are told that they covered their bodies. Verse 24 says their wings were beating so fast that the sound was loud. Verse 25 announces that a voice from above the platform was heard. It was the voice of God, as we will discover in verses 26-27.

The Glory of God

The final section is verses 26-28. Verse 26 says,

Now above the expanse that was over their heads there was something resembling a throne, like lapis lazuli in appearance; and on that which resembled a throne, high up, was a figure with the appearance of a man. Ezekiel 1:26 (NASB)

Now we see the throne of God. The throne was like lapis lazuli, which is like sapphire. On the throne was something that appeared like a man.

So, what was being described? What was described is God’s throne-chariot. God is sitting on His throne and His throne is moving through space. It is carried by the cherubim with the wheels moving on the earth. That is the picture being painted. To understand the description, remember that in Exodus 25:10-22, the Ark of the Covenant is described. There we are told two cherubim were on top of the ark and they faced one another. They were above the mercy seat. In Numbers 7:89 we are told that when Moses met with God, He spoke to Moses from above the mercy seat and between the two cherubim. In other passages we are told that God’s presence apparently extended above the cherubim (1 Samuel 4:4; 2 Samuel 6:2; Psalm 80:1; 99:1; Isaiah 37:16). Maybe the most important passage is 1 Chronicles 28:18 which describes the Ark of the Covenant as a chariot. This is the picture Ezekiel sees. God is sitting on His throne and it is moving like a chariot.

This is God appearing in some form. It is important to notice that nine times the concept of resembling or looking like something is mentioned. No exact descriptions are being given about God. We must remember that God told Moses in Exodus 33:20 that no man can see Him and live. That message is repeated in the New Testament (John 1:18; 1 Timothy 6:16; 1 John 4:12, 20). This is a theophany or Christophany. Most Bible scholars believe this was an Old Testament appearance of the pre-incarnate Christ. That is why the description has some resemblance to a man. The description is puposefully vague.

Verse 27 continues this theophany.

Then I noticed from the appearance of His loins and upward something like glowing metal that looked like fire all around within it, and from the appearance of His loins and downward I saw something like fire; and there was a radiance around Him. Ezekiel 1:27 (NASB)

This theophany is very similar to the one Moses and his seventy elders saw (Exodus 24:9-10), and the one John saw in his vision (Revelation 4:3-11). Ezekiel will see this again in chapter eight and verse two. This is the best view of God we can see in this life. When we arrive in heaven, we will be able to see God as the cherubim and the other angels do.

Verse 28 tells us that this part of the vision was to reveal the glory of God to Ezekiel.

As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking. Ezekiel 1:28 (NASB)

God appeared multicolored, including the colors of the rainbow. In Revelation 4:3-4, He appeared with a rainbow surrounding Him. I believe that is why Noah was given the promise of a rainbow in the sky (Genesis 9:13). It is a reminder of God. The rainbow was chosen to remind us of God and His promise. Then, we are told God spoke to Ezekiel. That is how chapter one ends. God speaks .

Conclusion

This was the introduction of God to Ezekiel. He was going to become a prophet for God. God gave this thirty-year-old man a vision. It began with God riding on His throne-chariot with four cherubim and four sparkling wheels covered with eyes. Finally, he saw God as multi-colored light. He did not see God. He saw the glory of God. His response was to fall down on his face. He did not stand and talk with God or have a wonderful conversation. Instead, he humbled himself and obeyed. Now that is what happens when a man or a woman of God really meets God in the pages of Scripture. He or she is humbled when they see the glory of God. Then God can use them for His own purpose, whatever that may be.

But every believer has a wonderful experience awaiting them when they arrive in heaven. We will not see some resemblance, or likeness of God. We will actually see God. 1 John 3:2 promises us,

Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. 1 John 3:2 (NASB)

References:

1. J. Vernon McGee. Book of Ezekiel. Thru the Bible. Thomas Nelson Publishers. 1982. p. 436.
2. Charles Lee Feinberg. The Prophecy of Ezekiel. Moody Press. 1969. p. 15.
3. R.C. Ridall. Chebar. The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible. Zondervan Publishing. 1977. Vol. 1., p. 784.
4. Charles H Dyer. Ezekiel. Old Testament. The Bible Knowledge Commentary. ChariotVictor.1984. p. 1228.